President Clinton writes of Haiti’s ‘promise and peril’

Former President Bill Clinton, who is a U.N. special envoy for Haiti, writes an impassioned piece in today’s Washington Post about the future of the Carribean island nation, among the world’s poorest.

Here are a few excerpts:

“What Haiti needs most is money for water, food, shelter and basic medical supplies to bring immediate relief to those who are homeless, hungry and hurt.”

“But after the emergency passes, the work of recovery and reconstruction will remain.

“Since Hillary and I first traveled to Haiti in December 1975, I have been captivated by that country’s promise and peril and by the persistence of hope among its people even in the face of abuse, neglect and poverty. Already, the Haitian government and citizens, the Haitian Diaspora, neighboring countries and allies, NGOs and international groups were committed to a plan for long-term development. These efforts will need to be amended because of Tuesday’s disaster, but they cannot be abandoned.”